Mild cognitive impairment means memory or thinking problems noticeable to the person or family but not severe enough to interfere with daily life. About 15-20% of people over 65 have MCI. Some people stay stable for years, some improve, and some progress to dementia—making early intervention a key research target.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that reduce amyloid and tau proteins in the brain, anti-inflammatory approaches, lifestyle interventions combining diet and exercise, and drugs that protect brain cell connections. Researchers are also studying which biomarkers predict who will progress and who will remain stable, to target treatments more precisely.
Amyloid-targeting drugs
Lecanemab and donanemab, recently approved for early Alzheimer's, are being tested in people with MCI and amyloid buildup. Studies are measuring whether early treatment can prevent or delay progression to dementia.
Lifestyle intervention trials
Large studies are testing whether structured programs combining aerobic exercise, cognitive training, diet changes, and vascular risk management can preserve thinking abilities. Some trials show cognitive benefits that match or exceed medication effects.
Synaptic protection
New drugs aim to protect the connections between brain cells rather than just clearing protein deposits. Early results suggest this approach may help maintain memory and thinking independent of amyloid levels.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically requires documented cognitive changes on testing, preserved daily function, and often biomarker evidence (PET scan or spinal fluid) showing Alzheimer's-related brain changes.
What types of trials are currently open
- Drug trials — Testing medications that target amyloid, tau, inflammation, or brain cell health. Many require biomarker evidence of Alzheimer's-related changes.
- Lifestyle trials — Studies of exercise programs, cognitive training, Mediterranean-style diets, or combined interventions to see if they slow cognitive decline.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether early treatment in people with biomarker changes but minimal symptoms can prevent MCI or dementia from developing.
- Cognitive assessment studies — Testing new ways to measure subtle memory and thinking changes, often using digital tools or home-based tests.
- Observational studies — Following people with MCI over time to understand who progresses, who stays stable, and what factors make the difference.
Recently added Mild Cognitive Impairment trials
Assessment of Motor Reserve in the Preclinical Stages of Dementia
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a clinical condition associated with an increased risk of progression to dementia. Although cognitive alterations have traditionally been the main focus of investigation, growing evidence suggests that motor changes may also emerge during the early stages of cognitive decline and may represent potential preclinical indicators of disease. In this context, the concept of motor reserve has emerged as a construct of increasing interest, although it remains insufficiently defined. Understanding how motor characteristics may contribute to an individual's ability to compensate for or modulate the effects of cognitive decline could provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in the early stages of dementia. Therefore, the present monocentric observational study aims to further investigate the concept of motor reserve in healthy individuals and in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) through a multidimensional approach based on clinical, neuropsychological, behavioral, and kinematic assessments. In particular, standardized motor tasks and quantitative movement analyses using a sensor-based medical device will be employed to objectively characterize motor performance.The study plans to recruit approximately 200 participants, including healthy individuals and patients with MCI, enrolled at the Neuropsychology Outpatient Clinic of the Neurology Unit of the University Hospital "Renato Dulbecco" in Catanzaro. In the healthy group, the relationship between motor reserve and motor performance will be investigated, while in patients with MCI the relationship between cognitive reserve, motor reserve, clinical and neuropsychological status, and motor performance will be explored. The findings of this study may contribute to a broader and more operational definition of motor reserve and support the identification of potential motor biomarkers associated with early cognitive decline. These findings may ultimately contribute to the development of innovative strategies for the early detection and monitoring of conditions at risk of progression to dementia.
A Study of Zunveyl on Safety, Tolerability, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Caregiver Distress in Alzheimer's Disease (RESOLVE)
The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Zunveyl® over 12 weeks of routine clinical use in adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
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